The invention relates to dispensing containers, and in particular to a container comprising an outer shell which houses a flexible liquid or fluent filled bag.
Usually the shell is made of corrugated paper and is generally rectangular in shape. A few proposals have been made in the past to provide a rigid or semi-rigid molded outer shell, such for example as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,026,005, 3,212,681 and 3,448,897, but these have not replaced the cardboard shell or box as the standard of the industry.
While the prior art containers are functional, they lack aesthetic appeal, and there is lack of consumer acceptance for certain products, such as spirits, packaged in this manner; spirits being more traditionally packaged in bottles, kegs or small barrels. However, such traditionally shaped enclosures are not readily usable with a flexible liquid filled bag because, usually, there is only a small opening in the enclosure, making it difficult if not impossible to properly install such bag therein.
In my U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,569 I have disclosed a drink dispenser attaining the advantages of both the traditional barrel-shaped shell formed by a pair of cup-shaped halves, each half having one closed and one open end, the halves being connectable to and separable from one another at their open ends about a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shell. Cooperable locking means are formed on the halves adjacent their open ends for locking the halves together to form a closed outer shell in the shape of a barrel. A fluent filled flexible bag having a dispensing spout thereon is contained within the shell with the spout adjacent the closed end of one of the halves. The one half has an opening in its closed end adjacent the spout including integrally formed pivotal flaps which are movable to accommodate access to and removal of the spout through the opening, and which serve to secure the spout in the opening in dispensing position at the one end of the shell. In this manner, I have provided a very attractive, yet economical and practical, dispenser for wines and other beverages.